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OMG..after watching our shows Katie pulls out this magnifying glass I bought for her.. (now us..my eyes are really getting bleary at looking at close up things...far off is perfect...its just up close has me grabbing these reading glasses or that magnifying glass (I have an eye exam on the 29th) and there is a little card inserted that I had noticed and glanced at, but now she's reading it in LARGE print and it say to record your message, remove this card.. O.O ..so she does, and pushes the button and says something and it plays back what she said....so, now we have conqered the mystery of the record a message card It's amazing what you can accomplish with LAGE print, magnifying glass and following instructions.

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"I'm not done yet"....Glen Campbell

"I may not be exactly where I want to be, but I sure as Hell am not where I was" Wynnona Judd

Diagnosed/HIV1993AZTNorvir1994-2001Crixivan/Epivir/ZeritNo Meds for 7 Years

I have grown fond of them stuffed with cheese...Sonic Drive In/stuffed peppers, Churchs Chicken/bombers...and then there is this Souhtwestern Restaurant in Dallas that serves this teeny, tiny...little green pepper that willl make your eyes tear, tongue tries to jump out of your mouth and you have to use the provided towel because you break out in a sweat.....then...you ask your date..who has witnessed this and is horrified..."are you gonna eat yours?"... ...and you do it again, only the second time its even hotter for some reason.. ..so you have to turn your chair sideways and bend over and hold your head in your hands and suck air for all its worth...

« Last Edit: May 10, 2008, 12:27:47 PM by rondrond »

Logged

"I'm not done yet"....Glen Campbell

"I may not be exactly where I want to be, but I sure as Hell am not where I was" Wynnona Judd

Diagnosed/HIV1993AZTNorvir1994-2001Crixivan/Epivir/ZeritNo Meds for 7 Years

I have grown fond of them stuffed with cheese...Sonic Drive In/stuffed peppers, Churchs Chicken/bombers...and then there is this Souhtwestern Restaurant in Dallas that serves this teeny, tiny...little green pepper that willl make your eyes tear, tongue tries to jump out of your mouth and you have to use the provided towel because you break out in a sweat.....then...you ask your date..who has witnessed this and is horrified..."are you gonna eat yours?"... ...and you do it again, only the second time its even hotter for some reason..

Love SONIC DRIVE-INS and TWISTERS too ..........OH let's not forget the TEX MEX us southwestern's love so well Hey rod, did you know that I'm only 500 to 700 miles away form Dallas....give or take a few miles "HOWDY PARTNER" .... I have 2 very good ole' buddies of mine that came from Dallas to Santa FE, but they moved back to Dallas ( Santa FE was too expensive for them)...........I miss THEM a lotta and they keep telling me to MOVE to DALLAS.....but I don't know......

« Last Edit: May 10, 2008, 12:48:02 PM by denb45 »

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"it's so nice to be insane, cause no-one ask you to explain" Helen Reddy cc 1974

Love SONIC DRIVE-INS and TWISTERS too ..........OH let's not forget the TEX MEX us southwestern's love so well Hey rod, did you know that I'm only 500 to 700 miles away form Dallas....give or take a few miles "HOWDY PARTNER" .... I have 2 very good ole' buddies of mine that came from Dallas to Santa FE, but they moved back to Dallas ( Santa FE was too expensive for them)...........I miss THEM a lotta and they keep telling me to MOVE to DALLAS.....but I don't know......

I've never been to Santa Fe, but if Dallasites find it too expensive, then...dang.....I live in Fort Worth and only go to Dallas when in the mood for 'variety' and ready to get in some trouble. I can get in trouble in Fort Worth, but it takes more work than Dallas where trouble is on every corner.

Logged

"I'm not done yet"....Glen Campbell

"I may not be exactly where I want to be, but I sure as Hell am not where I was" Wynnona Judd

Diagnosed/HIV1993AZTNorvir1994-2001Crixivan/Epivir/ZeritNo Meds for 7 Years

I've never been to Santa Fe, but if Dallasites find it too expensive, then...dang.....I live in Fort Worth and only go to Dallas when in the mood for 'variety' and ready to get in some trouble. I can get in trouble in Fort Worth, but it takes more work than Dallas where trouble is on every corner.

Yeah.................I know just what you mean...............besides........I'm too damm old for Trouble or Drama.......it's just SAFER to stay home and watch it on TV .............tee hee LOL I'm gonna be 52 this FALL and I've seen MORE of my share............in a LIFE TIME!

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"it's so nice to be insane, cause no-one ask you to explain" Helen Reddy cc 1974

BettyYou should talk to Kurt.He just rolls his eyes....I have at least 8 pair of magnifying glasses from Rite Aid distributed all over the house. Some for reading newpapers...some for watching TV ....and some for the computer....lol. But....Kurt just got bifocals and still needs a magnifying glass to read the fine print. So there.I havent had my eyes checked for 10 years and need to go do that. ( And buy a REAL paiir of glasses)

I have been doing the "glasses" thing for several years...had my eyes tested many times over the past 15 yrs and the Dr always says the same thing...I could get a "prescription" and spend $100 to $200 for a pair of glasses or I could just buy some 2.0 glasses at the drugstore..... I have about six pair around the house and at the computer.....

I even bought some at the dollar store for $1.00 that work just fine......

Went over to Mom's to give her a card and gift and my little sister was there with her family. So I got caught with mussy hair and unshaved.So. we had BBQ and told some childhood memories....I filled them in on some of my BLOG stories and after laughing, Mom leans over and says,,"you aren't using our real names are you?'"...and I'm like.."of course I am, how else will they know its you?" Then I stated that if I ever get published, I'll let them pick their own names.....and nothing silly or stupid....

If JW is not watching westerns, he is watching golf, and my brother in law owns a pro golf shop and so they are watching GOLF on this 71 inch plasma tv that JW just bought...he loves his toys...and JW always gets antsy when the party starts heading to the tv room as he can't hear, and then Mom will up the lights and he will start fussing...

So, Mom , my little sister, Terry amd I are on the patio taking pics of "Mom and son" and then Terry sees this tractor/mower,, a Cub Cadet ... under cover on the patio and she 's like "I thought Mom gave that to you"....and I'm like, she did, but we can't get it through the gate to the back yard and it won't fit through the back door of the garage..and ..NO, you can't have it cause she gave it to me, its mine .....I need to make 'friends' with the neighbors behind us and see if we can come up their driveway and into the back of our property....one day...(.believe it or not...I'm bashful...)

and then she shows us another one of his new toys, a mower that looks like it came from Star Wars...it doesn't have handles and it sort of moves on its own, a Zero Turn Cub Cadet...

and still she uses the push mower and has thrown something out of whack and is limping and I'm like.."I'll mow your yard, just call me...it'll be good practice for when I inherit these rider mowers, I say.. glaring at my little sisiter....

Katie stayed at home as we can't get her chair through Mom's doorway, one of the reasons Holidays and get togethers are held over here. She was waiting on calls from the boys anyway and I brought her some BBQ.

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"I'm not done yet"....Glen Campbell

"I may not be exactly where I want to be, but I sure as Hell am not where I was" Wynnona Judd

Diagnosed/HIV1993AZTNorvir1994-2001Crixivan/Epivir/ZeritNo Meds for 7 Years

My caseworker Paula called and she has taken care of my reclassification at JPS and has made me an appointment on Thursday with a regular doctor who is going to refer me to an oral surgeon at JPS and then I will have this tooth taken care, and it's only been .....since April 22...hopefully it is what has been causing this unsightly lump under my jawline and I will regain a fresh,, youthful appearance...snore..wake up...I'm dreaming.....look in mirror....yeah, that was a dream....I give up...when I went to the store I bought a new shirt..XLarge instead of Large and shorts 40 waist instead of 38....and a new pack of underwear...a size larger as I did have new underwear in the drawer, but I had bought them back when I was working and active and I couldn't barely get them over my thighs, much less my butt...sigh....guess I'll just have to make up a box or two and take them to the Samaritan House..and the pictures taken at Mom's did not pass inspection...why does my hair look like a patch of snow has fallen on top of my head? I do not see that when I look in the mirror....

I have found the 'pill box' and my first thought was "dang, this is going to be as much work as trying to remember what I'm supposed to be taking as I'm taking them. Then, I saw that it would be easier to open the flap for the day and count and if it was still there = didn't take it...gone = congratulations, you took it.

I am working up to my doctors suggestion of "you need to increase your cardio". I have found my set of handweights in the garage. I have found these tapes I made of 'Body Electric" with Margaret Richards (if you never heard of Body Electric , it was on TV back in the 80's...i"m getting old) who I taped as she also would have shows for people in wheellchairs as Katie has agreed to join in as I have to have a workout partner. Now, we have to take our before pictures, so we can have after pictures and then set a date to start.

« Last Edit: May 13, 2008, 10:01:49 AM by rondrond »

Logged

"I'm not done yet"....Glen Campbell

"I may not be exactly where I want to be, but I sure as Hell am not where I was" Wynnona Judd

Diagnosed/HIV1993AZTNorvir1994-2001Crixivan/Epivir/ZeritNo Meds for 7 Years

Somehow, I don't know why, but a little voice keeps telling me that I am never going to be that size again. I think it's the same voice crying out wanting to know why it looks like there is a patch of fallen snow on top of my head?

Logged

"I'm not done yet"....Glen Campbell

"I may not be exactly where I want to be, but I sure as Hell am not where I was" Wynnona Judd

Diagnosed/HIV1993AZTNorvir1994-2001Crixivan/Epivir/ZeritNo Meds for 7 Years

Ronnie, I remember "Body Electric." I believe it's still being aired on PBS at like 5:30 in the morning. At least it was a couple years ago when I used to get up that early. I even attempted to do a few of the workouts.

Good luck with the dentist. Better you than me.

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I've never killed anyone, but I frequently get satisfaction reading the obituary notices.-Clarence Darrow

Betty, I looked and couldn't find Margaret who I liked as I used to be amazed at how she could keep a steady line of chat going throughout the entire program while I was gasping for air...and I would be exclaiming.."MARGARET...as she pushed for just one more....you can do it"...

what I did find was a show called "Sit and be Fit" 5am on PBS, which I will check out...I googled and it says its for people with chronic illnesses...if she has a good personality and good music, I will give her a go (set the recorder to tape her at that time) .....(Margaret always seemed to pick the right song for the excersise..)

Logged

"I'm not done yet"....Glen Campbell

"I may not be exactly where I want to be, but I sure as Hell am not where I was" Wynnona Judd

Diagnosed/HIV1993AZTNorvir1994-2001Crixivan/Epivir/ZeritNo Meds for 7 Years

Must be the weather. We just had a thunderstorm roll over and I got up, then laid badk down and was down for the count. then jerked awake and have a pain in my left shoulder and under my left arm, I couldn't hardly lift my arm.and my left groin...it's going to be my left side wanting attention day, I guess.... It's a little better now. I have a Dr Appt tomorrow. It seems that my body runs the gamut of everything that hurts, is going to hurt the day before the appt....the day of the qppt....nothing...dang...I hate it when these nodes hurt under the arm....

Logged

"I'm not done yet"....Glen Campbell

"I may not be exactly where I want to be, but I sure as Hell am not where I was" Wynnona Judd

Diagnosed/HIV1993AZTNorvir1994-2001Crixivan/Epivir/ZeritNo Meds for 7 Years

The new shirt and shorts I bought an extra size larger....were not large enough .o.o.I guess since I still have the receipts I will do what Mom and Katie always do and take them back and exchange them for a larger size. I don't know why I have such an aversion to returning things or trying on clothes at the store....the size 40 should have fit...the other shorts I'm wearing are 40's so..WTF?...oh, well, As I understand it, Walmart NEVER says no. I just have to break down and go to the changing rooms. I'm a big boy now and I just have to act like one. So, today I went to have my blood drawn to check my coumadin level. I was late. the appointment was for 9am. I was awake and moving and even styled my hair instead of wash and dry, and finger comb ..and was dressed and then, I just .sat..down..for..a..minute...to .catch ..my ..breath....and ...jerked awake at 850am. dang it...so I call and say that I will be a 'little' late. I head for the front door, but my butt calls to me so I head for the 'head' and have an explosive moment for which I was grateful that I listened to my body as I would NEVER have been able to drive and hold 'THAT' in. And I come running in and get weighed. No change...still at 258lbs. Amazing. I still swear that the output is a heck of a lot more than the input..but..scales don't lie..My Blood Pressure was 134/94. Still running high. Then she could not find a vein. Having abused myself and drugs in my past, I always point to three 'good' spots which they insist on going where I know will not work...so I suffer through becoming a pin cushion and after three stabs they decide to listen to me and 'voila'... blood issues forth...My coumadin level is in range. While there, I was greeted by the Nutrionist. I am now considered to be 50lbs overweight and we are going to do something about it. So, I gave her our food diary and ..guess what? We're eating pretty damn good. It's going to be that cardio thing again. NO, I haven't started it. But I do have the hand weights out and the exercise tapes and I just can't seem to stay awake long enough to get to picking the weights up and the video on. ..dang it..alright...tonights the night...

So I have a couple of hours before my next appointment so I go home and...just...sit...down...for ..a moment...and....jerk awake at 145pm and my appointments at 215pm. ..dang it....again...So, I'm racing down the road and I get there on time and the receptionist asks me to sign in . This is when I realize that I have progressed to needing to take my reading glasses with me everytime I leave the house as this page of blue with a large white square on it was kinda swimming in front of me. I lifted the page and the one below it looked just like it, so I ask, "am I supposed to sign here in this big white square?" NO...and the she asks if I'm alright, and I say, of course, just having a moment....so, she signs me in on a blue line below the white square and peels it off making the white square just a little bigger...I could have figured that out, if I had had my glasses...sigh....Then this guy who was walking me down the hall had way too much energy. He was practically bouncing off the walls, but I kept my opinion to myself..."did you find an extra stash of some pretty 'lil' pills?".....and he wanted to know the reason for the visit and I stated that I just wanted a referral. So, here comes the Dr, and she starts to ask about my health problems, and I'm like.."do you really want to know? or is this another hoop?"....so I start from the top and go to the bottom and "she has my chart that they faxed over, another hoop?"...so I play along and sorta in a nice way say, "you do realize that I'm just here for a referral? That I am receiving treatment at PMC?" So she says, ok, I will give you a referral to an oral surgeon. JPS will mail me a letter giving a consult date, then I will get a procedure date, and 1 week before the procedure, I will need to stop taking warfarin and she will give me a prescription for lovenox injections..which gives me flashbacks to my hospital stay...heparin shots, in the belly, burning, bruising....so I ask, what I've asked every medical person where shots are concerned, ever since I was four..."is there a pill I can take instead?"...and the answer is, NO...but I tried....sigh...then I rushed home to my own Private Privy..now, while waiting for this consult..will see what happens on the 29th with this eye exam....

« Last Edit: May 16, 2008, 05:09:24 AM by rondrond »

Logged

"I'm not done yet"....Glen Campbell

"I may not be exactly where I want to be, but I sure as Hell am not where I was" Wynnona Judd

Diagnosed/HIV1993AZTNorvir1994-2001Crixivan/Epivir/ZeritNo Meds for 7 Years

Too many numbers to keep up with. My weight is now at 258lbs. I need to get to 205, according to the nutritionist. I think the only time in my life I weighed 205lbs...I was on speed. Blood Pressure 134/94. my heart beat.triglycerides too high...cholesterol is good...I went blank, too much input..damn those numbers taken when I first got there and had been rushing in because I was late. She took another reading after I had calmed down and it was at 130/80. ..better...but enough to get her on my ass about my activity level. I just gotta reverse this up all night/sleep all day. Guess I need to check out some of the support groups and get some one on one. Won't get my CD4/VL numbers until after Memorial Day Weekend. I understand. When I worked at AA, every Memorial day weekend, I added vacation time and would be up, up, and AWAY from here to Miami/Ft.Lauderdale, or Los Angeles. I had spent a week in Miami and was landing in DFW Airport when 9/11 happened. I never suspected that it would affect me in Fort Worth. but I lost my job...AA had a major layoff...I lost my insurance..resulting in my 8 year vacation from meds....and I haven't traveled anywhere since...though I have airline miles built up to go around the world. I guess I am just grieving the loss of my AA job...I still have places to go, things to see...and no motivation...I need to be kissed...a long kiss...a long..ok, you got my attention but now I'm coming up for air kiss....

« Last Edit: May 16, 2008, 06:44:31 AM by rondrond »

Logged

"I'm not done yet"....Glen Campbell

"I may not be exactly where I want to be, but I sure as Hell am not where I was" Wynnona Judd

Diagnosed/HIV1993AZTNorvir1994-2001Crixivan/Epivir/ZeritNo Meds for 7 Years

As one former airline employee (TW ... I still have my seniority date memorized) to another I send you lots of cyber kisses!

AA

I accept all your cyber kisses and send some back to you. I am just being a silly old queen. I've been going through this for the past 7-8 years. Every time there is a holiday on the calendar, I still automatically start a mental procesing of needing to obtain flight schedules, hotels, car rentals, ....googling 'gay Miami" or 'gay Los Angeles' or 'gay wherever'..and finding out what was going on while I would be there....and then ..."halt...'was ist los?...oh, yeah....I'm not going anywhere....well, whats on TV?....

LOL...my seniority date...Oct, 8 1996....I still have my employee number and my 'severance package' (I was in management...5 years....marvelous benefits for a 'party queen'.....something in that severance package still catches my eye and has me wondering lately..it's a thin pamphlet explaining my 'pension'...which monetarily is 'peanuts' but the mention of 'flight benefits at retirement' section still lights my fire and has me wondering about...if I actually get this SSDI....will I be considered 'retired?' and that flight benefit clause would be actvated?....probably another 'dream on girl' moment.with all that has happened to AA in the past 7 years, I would probably call to stake my claim and would be in a section classified as 'lost...dropped through the crack' section.....but, it still occupies a cell in my mind....

« Last Edit: May 17, 2008, 07:12:42 AM by rondrond »

Logged

"I'm not done yet"....Glen Campbell

"I may not be exactly where I want to be, but I sure as Hell am not where I was" Wynnona Judd

Diagnosed/HIV1993AZTNorvir1994-2001Crixivan/Epivir/ZeritNo Meds for 7 Years

I really miss the flying benefits. TWA seniorty date was 890116 (I started right out of high school) and my very first flight was First Class, non-stop Chicago - London. Those were the days. I would really try looking into retirement flight benefits. Retirees board after active employees but it beats paying the regular fare!

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It is not the arrival that matters. It is the journey along the way. -- Michel Montaigne

Well. I went to sleep @2am, trying to stop staying awake all night. And, of course, just lying down put me out and I awoke @530 am in time for my 6am meds. Then I read some trying to stay awake for the day shift. I jerked awake @7am. My neck was not too happy with me and I had not drooled down my shirt as the tip of my tongue was sore from some unknown instinct that had pushed it against the back of my teeth making an effctive plug. I forced myself not to lie down and started a light cardio workout (no weights) by swinging my arms and 'dancing' to the music on the TV...after 20 minutes, I hobbled over to the couch and did it right, waking up @ noon. So as to make another effort to to do the day shift, I brushed my teeth, grabbed the grocery list and headed to Walmart. I went around the block and turned back in the driveway as I had forgotten the shorts and shirt that were too small. This is a striking out in a new direction for me as I never return or exchange....I just give it away, but times being as they are, I steeled myself to stand in the inevitable long line that is always in front of the exchange/refunds counter and getting my money back, went up and down every aisle to continue with my cardio. halfway throught the store, I was to be found in housewares trying not to fall into the cart and bribe some kid to push me through the rest of the store...my hips, lower back and legs were just screaming.and the right leg/foot were swollen and discolored...."on a scale of 1-10, 1 being the lowest and 10 being the highest, where would you rate your level of pain?....10 Got to the truck, unloaded the cart with several passersby giving me concerned looks..and singing my new theme song that I seem to hear a lot lately whenever I leave the house..."are you alright?" Almost thought that I was going to have to wash a 'special' load in the washer but made it after parking and running...6pm meds and made spaghetti casserole for dinner and now my tummy is full and I am still 'up'. Will try a midnight bedtime tonight and mow the front yard tomorrow. I've also noticed that I haven't washed my truck in a couple of months...well, it has been raining...and then there is another mountain of paperwork that has managed to build up on the table that I could go through...doing the dayshift is hard...my pillow misses me..and my body hates me...and it's Memorial Day holiday weekend...

Logged

"I'm not done yet"....Glen Campbell

"I may not be exactly where I want to be, but I sure as Hell am not where I was" Wynnona Judd

Diagnosed/HIV1993AZTNorvir1994-2001Crixivan/Epivir/ZeritNo Meds for 7 Years

I really miss the flying benefits. TWA seniorty date was 890116 (I started right out of high school) and my very first flight was First Class, non-stop Chicago - London. Those were the days. I would really try looking into retirement flight benefits. Retirees board after active employees but it beats paying the regular fare!

Don't I know it. I always dressed in suit and tie and although a nervous wreck waiting to be called, I usually managed to snag a First Class seat by being dressed up and keeping my 'cool'. Some employees would look like they had dragged themselves out of bed and were bullying and demanding..."I have got to get on this flght" I flew first class to Hawaii twice that way while some friends barely made it to third. After the flight they would meet me in the airport..."where did you disappear to?"

Logged

"I'm not done yet"....Glen Campbell

"I may not be exactly where I want to be, but I sure as Hell am not where I was" Wynnona Judd

Diagnosed/HIV1993AZTNorvir1994-2001Crixivan/Epivir/ZeritNo Meds for 7 Years

I know .. thats my dilemna. Living in the past. in order to reserve a flight, car, hotel, you had to do thiese things in advance., though, once I got lucky by cancelling all reservation in New York...changing to Hawaii... ..when I was laid off, I recieved 5 free flights which at the time they stated had to have a destination on them. So, I randomly put down 5 cities, and they told me at the time that the destinations could be changed. So, in a hurry, I put Hawaii twice. Then I decided to go to New York and made reservations and bought tickets to a show and went to get my tickets and ....this b*** stated no way jose, it could only be used for Hawaii....I pitced a bitch and even went to Headquarters which was around the corner and still, got no where..probably due to the way I was acting, but my flight was leaving in 2 hours and I needed to get going...only my ticket would not take me to New York. Not one to beat a dead horse, I rushed home and got on the internet and dealt with understanding, sympathetic people and got NY reservations cancelled, with no penalties, and luckily got last minute reservations in Hawaii...pftt...I miss my old life...

« Last Edit: May 18, 2008, 02:52:05 PM by rondrond »

Logged

"I'm not done yet"....Glen Campbell

"I may not be exactly where I want to be, but I sure as Hell am not where I was" Wynnona Judd

Diagnosed/HIV1993AZTNorvir1994-2001Crixivan/Epivir/ZeritNo Meds for 7 Years

Another day on the dayshift. I went to sleep @ midnite. More like I laid down and waited to pass out. Then I got up @430am with my ears ringing so loud that surely it could be heard somewhere outside of my head. Could not go back to sleep, so got on the computer. After sunrise, decided to dust the living room. Katie usually gets up @9am so I was waiting on her to get up by playing on the computer some more. Whe noon hit, I stood in her doorway listening for breathing and didn't hear anything. I started to enter the room when she farted...so I knew she was still alive. I turned on her chair and hit the horn..beeeepbeepbeep and she woke up. I then went to get my haircut hoping Great Clips would be having a $3.99 special. Not only were they not having a specal, but they had raised their prices..$14.00 to get a haircut. I'm thinking of growing a pony tail to teach them a lesson. Stopped to get gas for the lawn mower and ..I could just cry...paid $7.70 to fill a 2 gallon gas can. I have two dead spots in my row of box hedges across the front of the house. On the end by the gate, we are going to lose a portion of the front yard for a concrete ramp and a new gate, so I dug up the two plants on the end and transplanted them in the dead spots. Then I trimmmed the hedges and vines growing on the fences, and though I was only going to do the front, I went ahead and cut the vines on the fence in the back as once they get out of control, it is a J-O-B to tame them. I have neighbors with chickens, roosters, and the Papajohns still graze their horses and there is a house hidden from view by lots of trees that two spinster sisters live in...all you see is a path going up through the woods...and they have horses...and pigs...I was pulling weeds from the flower bed and ..."cloppity clop, clip clop clip clop...it was a horse being ridden for exercise coming down the road...sets all the dogs off and causes quite a hullabaloo...usually they ride along the levy which now has a running, skatiing, biking, walk your dog track...you can walk along the river now for absolutely miles...some areas have a small park, or a rest area and there is a bird sanctuary which I've wandered down hundreds of paths through these woods and did not see one bird......many events are held along these levys...Mayfest just happened or still is, and the Aids Walk.. Then I heard a roaring motor and here came a tractor and I had no idea where he was going. Got the front yard mowed and edged and washed down the front porch and rinsed the dust off my truck. By now my clothes are stuck to my body. Sweat is on a steady drip from all over my head, so I'm thinking this has been a good cardio workout for today. 6pm meds, showered, and while cooking dinner, my back froze. Pushed myself off from the counter and kept going. My legs got heavier and heavier, but I managed to finish cooking and finally got to sit when it was time to eat. My right foot is trying to cramp and my back aches, but ...I've done cardio. Tomorrow, there's the back forty. Dayshift hurts.

Logged

"I'm not done yet"....Glen Campbell

"I may not be exactly where I want to be, but I sure as Hell am not where I was" Wynnona Judd

Diagnosed/HIV1993AZTNorvir1994-2001Crixivan/Epivir/ZeritNo Meds for 7 Years

This is my third day of doing the dayshift and doing at least 20 minutes of cardio. (I can't wait until my next appointment. I expect a clean bill of health from all this sweating I have been doing. I laid down at midnite and promptly fell asleep. I awoke ay 4am..and could not go back to sleep. So, got on the computer. 6am meds. Woke Katie up at 9am so she could get up and be ready for her 'supply' delivery. These are her chucks, diapers, wipes, things that Medicaid will pay for. The delivery man showed up at 930am and while he was putting them in Katies bedroom, I heard her exclaim that this was not her whole order. There were no diapers. Diapers are very important in Katies world and so she was johnny on the phone complaining as she had used the last diaper this morning. I myself have not figured out how this diaperless situation is going to affect my world, but I am waiting for it rear its ugly head at any moment. She will probably have to use old towels during the night which will increase the washload. I have to make sure I have lots of gloves as she also has another UTI. UN-believable.. she gets one every month. And since she hates riding the MITS bus she waits until both feet are burning while peeing....I did not yell, but I did let her know that this was unacceptable behavior and that she needed to call the doctor ASAP, which she has and they can see her on Friday. Now I'm shaking because it's COLD because she is running a low grade fever and gets these hot flashes anyway and turns the ceiling fan on high and the thermostat down 'a notch or two'. Then Cookie was here and they were doing whatever they do for her private hygiene and I sat on the couch and jumped up twice as I was suddenly so sleepy, all I wantd to do was lie down. I shook it off and shook it off again and then determinedly put on my hiking boots and grabbed the weed eater and headed for the back forty. I started the mower and it started giving me it's "I'm not feeling well" signal...buwaaah..buwah..aaah..wah..wah.The filter needed to be cleaned and it could use an oil change..seriously...but not today....'butch' ronnie has just about had enough for today....2 hours later, dripping sweat profusely, I had done the back 30, and satisfied doctors orders to having daily cardio. The other 10 are going to have to be a special cardio, as there are these huge branches from the top of a cottonwood tree that a tornado knocked the top 40 feet off and I don't think my little weedeater will be able to handle this 'wildlife preserve that has grown up in this corner of the yard. And I don't own a chainsaw..but I did find a big stick that I could use as a machete...I know there are critters in there as there are paths and hollowed out spots in the overgrown brush and grasses. Hopefully it's some sweet, gentle kittens as I'm fixing to become a threat to whatever is living in there. If attacked, I can use my weedeater as a weapon., so they better watch out..I've decided to drag these branches to the the fence line. At least they will be out of the middle of the yard. Showered, 6pm meds cooked dinner....why is it that my body pains catch up to me when I start cooking? My legs got so heavy that I could hardly move. The ever present ache in my back kicked it up a few.."on a scale of 1-10, with 1 being the lowest and 10 being the highest how would you rate your pain?"...10

« Last Edit: May 19, 2008, 11:03:38 PM by rondrond »

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"I'm not done yet"....Glen Campbell

"I may not be exactly where I want to be, but I sure as Hell am not where I was" Wynnona Judd

Diagnosed/HIV1993AZTNorvir1994-2001Crixivan/Epivir/ZeritNo Meds for 7 Years

The bend in the road is not the end of the road...unless you fail to turn.

So. the doctor thinks that I am a walking heart attack. I have High Triglycerides but my cholesterol is perfect. It has been strongly suggested that I lose weight by increasing my activity level. As sleeping all day is not considered an activity, I have made the choice that I don't want to have a heart attack, so I have been working on resetting my bodies clock. I have successfully managed to get to sleep by midnite and sleep at least 5 hours before waking up. As I have basically ignored the yard, especially the back yard for the past ten years, yardwork is going to be my first line of attack to reclaim not only a semblance of beauty and pride that hard work can bring, but to lose a few pounds and lower my triglycerides. A side benefit is my eyesight was becoming extremely bleary. Needless to say, it was most disturbing and concerned me a lot to not be able to read anything placed before me without my eyes starting to water from the effort. Apparently, sleeping all day and staying up all night will affect your eyesight....your eyes need sun....I took this with a grain of salt until I noticed that last night, and now, I am looking at the computer screen and not squinting, putting my face in the screen, or using reading glasses. I do still need reading glasses to read my books, but the print looks clearer. Amazing. SO, I have reached a bend in the road, and have decided to turn, and its working. I am not having any side effects from my HIV meds other than a slight nausea, which passes quickly. All other side effects I already had before starting HIV meds, and were brought on by having HIV, Post Thrombotic Syndrome, neuropathy, back pain and this fatigue in my hips and legs that just comes on me when I am not expecting it, though a pattern seems to be developing ...I must be allergic to the kitchen... and cooking ...as this is when ALL my pains just seem to rise up and clamor to be noticed. I have been working on changing my diet, but its a struggle trying to buy food for two on a strict budget and then:dang if I did not buy chicken breasts, cut them into pieces, sauteed in butter until they were nice and crispy brown, added asparagus, that I had cut up, added milk, cheese, spaghetti (I did not have linguini) and Cream of mushroom soup and let it bubble away. It was delicious but then, Katie started remarking how her feet and ankles started to swell and I'm like....no way...I don't use salt anymore, only pepper and NO SALT... and she uses that MRS DASH...so she blames the mushroom soup....I check the label and its 740mg sodium. Now, divided into two portions and having not added salt to any of the food I am assuming that this is an acceptable level of sodium...you have to have SOME salt in your body.... so, I guess I'll have to make spaghetti with butter, chicken, asparagus.....dang it....so I'm looking at these recipes and trying to think of something to eat that will not cause edema, conflict with blood thinners, lower tryglycerides and maintain good cholesterol. I think I'm getting a headache, brought on by thinking too much...can't blame that on HIV...

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"I'm not done yet"....Glen Campbell

"I may not be exactly where I want to be, but I sure as Hell am not where I was" Wynnona Judd

Diagnosed/HIV1993AZTNorvir1994-2001Crixivan/Epivir/ZeritNo Meds for 7 Years

Betty,All the doctors say is light exercise and don't give any examples of what that would specifically be. I'm supposed to instinctively know what a 20 minute cardio workout is, or they threw it out there and I'm supposed to catch the ball and run with it. They did say not to do any running, something that would 'jar' my body as it could make a blood clot break loose, and apparently when on blood thinners running also bounces your organs around and could lead to internal bleeding, but walking is fine. pfftt...just thinking of these things makes me want to just go to bed and sleep. When you're alseep, you don't have to deal with these things. But, 'its not allowed' ...

I don't know what to say about smoking. I had a Summer of '88 where I tried just about everything you weren't supposed to do,...alcohol, drugs, cigarettes, sex... I smoked Camel non-filter (if you're going to do it, do it right). I guess I'm a cheap person as while in Drug Rehab, your 'squares' were furnished by the state and you had to stand in line ...then everyone started bumming cigarettes till I maybe smoked 2 out a whole pack, so I just quit, and never did it again... "Hey man, let me try one of those Camels"..."sorry', I don't smoke"...??..."I quit"..."because of you"..... So, that is not an issue for me. I have had friends where we would make a pact that we would be gymn buddies and I was to be their 'reminder' not to smoke....ninety nine point nine percent of the time, after a workout, they would disappear. I would find them out front...lighting one up.

My cholestrol is fine, it's the triglycerides...I don't understand it...you change and do what your supposed to do and everything is supposed to straighten up...but nooo..some things are cooperating and others aren't...

Good luck on your exercise program and quitting smoking. Maybe if I had a cam, we could go cam to cam and I could cheer you on..."you can do it..just one more.....hey...where did you go?....put out that cigarette....why is it all dark...did you turn off your cam?".

« Last Edit: May 21, 2008, 02:55:54 AM by rondrond »

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"I'm not done yet"....Glen Campbell

"I may not be exactly where I want to be, but I sure as Hell am not where I was" Wynnona Judd

Diagnosed/HIV1993AZTNorvir1994-2001Crixivan/Epivir/ZeritNo Meds for 7 Years

Betty,All the doctors say is light exercise and don't give any examples of what that would specifically be. I'm supposed to instinctively know what a 20 minute cardio workout is, or they threw it out there and I'm supposed to catch the ball and run with it. They did say not to do any running, something that would 'jar' my body as it could make a blood clot break loose, and apparently when on blood thinners running also bounces your organs around and could lead to internal bleeding, but walking is fine. pfftt...just thinking of these things makes me want to just go to bed and sleep. When you're alseep, you don't have to deal with these things. But, 'its not allowed' ...

I don't know what to say about smoking. I had a Summer of '88 where I tried just about everything you weren't supposed to do,...alcohol, drugs, cigarettes, sex... I smoked Camel non-filter (if you're going to do it, do it right). I guess I'm a cheap person as while in Drug Rehab, your 'sqares' were furnished by the state and you had to stand in line ...then everyone started bumming cigarettes till I maybe smoked 2 out a whole pack, so I just quit, and never did it again... "Hey man, let me try one of those Camels"..."sorry', I don't smoke"...??..."I quit"..."because of you"..... So, that is not an issue for me. I have had friends where we would make a pact that we would be gymn buddies and I was to be their 'reminder' not to smoke....ninety nine point nine percent of the time, after a workout, they would disappear. I would find them out front...lighting one up.

My cholestrol is fine, it's the triglycerides...I don't understand it...you change and do what your supposed to do and everything is supposed to straighten up...but nooo..some things are cooperating and others aren't...

Good luck on your exercise program and quitting smoking. Maybe if I had a cam, we could go cam to cam and I could cheer you on..."you can do it..just one more.....hey...where did you go?....put out that cigarette....why is it all dark...did you turn off your cam?".

Ronnie...................good cardio........here's what I do every other day..........I ride my 12 speed bike 9 miles.........it takes me about an hour, 45 mins. to do, if I take my time, and drink lots of gatorade............also...I wieght train on a Blow-flex every other day...........now dispite all of this, my triglycerides are still VERY HIGH, and I know it's not my diet, cuz, I only eat 1,500 to 2000 calories a day, and LIKE YOU I don't put salt on ANYTHING I eat.....so it has to be my meds anywho........it must be working......I'm 185Lbs to 190lbs and at 6 foot 3, so, I'm not over wieghteven 20 min. of any kinda cardio is better than NOTHING at all, so, keep up the cardio, and you WILL loose the wieght

« Last Edit: May 20, 2008, 04:55:36 PM by denb45 »

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"it's so nice to be insane, cause no-one ask you to explain" Helen Reddy cc 1974

You've stated that you have lipo, so it's not unusual to find elevated triglycerides in your bloodwork. PI's also cause this so I'm sure it's a variety of factors.

I think my lipo is a variety of PI's and also a BIG factor....my age, I know, I'm not gonna look like I did when I was 21 or 32 years old, but it doesn't interfer with my workout routine.......so I kinda overlook the lipo, It would be a lot WORSE (the lipo) if I didn't do ANY exercise at all .......but I'm not too worried about it, my doctor said I look like a VERY FIT 52 yr. old

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"it's so nice to be insane, cause no-one ask you to explain" Helen Reddy cc 1974

denb,I like the idea of bike riding. After all, the Bass Brothers have made these trails along the Trinity river for miles with these little rest areas complete with water fountains and a toilet with a unique Lone Star metal designs for the roof and benches. I might as well take advantage of it as its practically across the the street from me. hmm. First, though, I would have to get a bike.

Betty, philly,I have been reading a lot from people on meds who have high triglycerides. Why are my doctors bugging me about this when it should be obvious where it is coming from? ///PRE MEDS: no problems with triglycerides or blood pressure AFTER MEDS: sudden problems with triglycerides and Blood pressure

Winiroo,It's still May, what's up with the temperatures? LOL I've been taking it easy, only staying out no more than an hour. By that time I have worked up a good sweat and my muscles are fatigued. And my yard is looking pretty good too.

« Last Edit: May 21, 2008, 03:00:16 AM by rondrond »

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"I'm not done yet"....Glen Campbell

"I may not be exactly where I want to be, but I sure as Hell am not where I was" Wynnona Judd

Diagnosed/HIV1993AZTNorvir1994-2001Crixivan/Epivir/ZeritNo Meds for 7 Years

Another day on the day shift. Well, kinda. I went to bed at midnite and went to sleep. Awoke @530am and took my meds at 6am. Took out the trash bins for garbage day and woke up Katie. Cookie got here @ 10am and then I just could not stay awake. A sudden grogginess came over me I could not shake off. Finally I gave in and laid on the couch and did not wake up until Cookie came through with the vaumn cleaner. Passed out again and awoke to ....Goose bumps and whoofing in my ears?....It was a Great Dane.....Robert and his new bride, Paulette were here with Jake. He was picking up some items he had in storage in the basement. In fact, there is a whole room dedicated to 'stuff' from his first marriage to Angela he never wants to see again, but I have made it known that I have a future project of 'cleaning the basement' and if there is anything he wants, he better get it now. Another room is devoted to Daniel and his first love Nicki, which is also going out the door. So, I remember being licked by a great dane and then they were leaving, I was so groggy the whole time they were here, I just sat on the sofa and stared into space. Finally, I was able to get up, and noticing it was 330 pm, put on my trusty hiking boots and headed for the wildlife preserve in the back yard. I started throwing smaller branches over the fence into 'neighbors' woods as they have long ago stopped mowing the back part of their property and it is a jungle. One of the trees on the fence line from his side is leaning on my fence and bringing it down and though I have brought it to his attention, he has done nothing about it. He is disabled, his wife is disabled and ....so...I have a tree growing in my yard that starts on the other side of the fence. The brush and growth of trumpeter vines proved too much for the weedeater as they kept getting entangled and wrapped up in the works,

so I put on my gloves and started pulling..and grabbing and pulling and grabbing and pulling. I was working up quite a sweat and motivated myself as hacking my way to the Temple of Doom and had the theme song in my mind giving me some kind of momnetum when....all around the mulberry bush,the monkey chased the weasel...??the monk??..?? WTF..the ice cream truck was parked out front somewhere and now...great...the monkey chasing a weasel was stuck in my mind...so I finally decided that I had had enough for the day and Bangkok Palace would have to wait for me to uncover it at a later date.

showered, 6pm meds and dinner...I made Monte Cristo sandwiches with green beans and mac and cheese...and strawberry cheesecake from a box...no baking involved...

« Last Edit: May 22, 2008, 05:36:12 AM by rondrond »

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"I'm not done yet"....Glen Campbell

"I may not be exactly where I want to be, but I sure as Hell am not where I was" Wynnona Judd

Diagnosed/HIV1993AZTNorvir1994-2001Crixivan/Epivir/ZeritNo Meds for 7 Years

It seems like everytime I step outside or look out the window birds are everywhere. The mulberry tree has fruited and is chock-full of berries (it also has those unsightly bagworm webs in it, which I am clueless on how to get rid of short of cutting the lower branches I can reach) It is probably time for maybe some eggs to hatch, as they are being very aggressive in keeping the cats moving right along when they enter the 'catwalk' across the front porch or the fence line. I haven't noticed them bothering the black cat with the white vest, but a white and tan calico, solid black, and a solid white cat are constantly bobbing along with a bird on its head,...."phew...ouch, ...quit it..."..keep moving."..."ouch, ok...I'm in the neighbors driveway"...."swoop=dive bomb, peck...keep moving.....swoop...swoopswoop..peck..swoop..."...."alright, alright already" as he takes refuge under their front porch swing..."...I mean they escort them until satisfied they are far enough away from here.....I've seen blue jays do that before, and there are bluejays, some wrens, a couple of red birds and these gray birds that when they spread their wings have bright white feathers, I don't know what kind they are...they jerk around in the grass and make a funny noise and when they do fly its never higher than the top of the fence...wait a minute...male and female birds of the same species do not look the same....the males are always the brightly colored ones and the females are are usually a monotone color...right?...

Logged

"I'm not done yet"....Glen Campbell

"I may not be exactly where I want to be, but I sure as Hell am not where I was" Wynnona Judd

Diagnosed/HIV1993AZTNorvir1994-2001Crixivan/Epivir/ZeritNo Meds for 7 Years

I awoke at 4am. the grogginess from earlier had gone. 6am meds. Woke up Katie and after Cookie arrived, I refused to even look at the sofa. The Dr called and wanted to change my dosage of Warfarin. He's upping it from 7mg to 8mg which I hate as though Warfarin does come in different sizes..1mg, 2mg, 3mg, 5mg, 10mg, I have in my possession 2mg and 5mg, which means that I am going to have to split a pill. I hate splitting pills. They are scored, but don't seem to recognize they have been scored. Plus, then you have to fish them out of the bottle until you have an empty bottle to put the splits in, but then you have to rememeber which size it was split down from...I'm becoming a mathematician by association.. then she changed my labs from the 12th to the 2nd as he would need to know how I was responding to the new dose. Which I think is better as I still haven't received lab results on how my CD4 and VL are doing since I started my meds.

A mockingbird... the State Bird of Texas....living in my trees....at least I don't have blue bonnets growing in my yard...it's against the law to mow them down until after they have seeded..I think...if not against the law, it is severely frowned upon....I woke up...dang it, I gave in and laid down for a few minutes...hours...These birds are hopping around the yard as I am throwing these stalks of whatevers that I am pulling up, and disturbing established insect colonies.. I took the 'old' hedge clippers and started cutting beginning at the top and working my way down. Dang..some of these plants are taller than me..I hate the 'cleavers'..they are pretty enough when they first flower in those clusters of white flowers that turn into sticky, itchy, prickly burrs.that stick to your socks and the hair in your legs and arms...and I mean stick....and here I am staring at a whole patch of them, taller than me.....I also trimmed some low growing branches from some saplings that have taken hold due to my negligence..we have enough trees....and as I uncovered these fallen tree limbs, I would drag them to the fence line. If I could lift them, it was up and over. If not, I stacked them against the fence. There are some chunks the size of my torso...maybe I can roll them into a corner and call them 'art'.... I cleared an area about 2 ft X 5ft and got a good sweat going. It started to get windy and cloudy and ...the evil Kali Ma sent a horde of vampire bats to deter me in my quest, but, did so in a diabolical manner that I did not recognize the vampire bats as they had been magically transfigured into a swarm of mosquitoes....without the sun to keep them at bay, I grabbed my tools of the trade and fled...vowing to return under the protection of the sun....showered, 6pm meds, and dinner was ham, bacon, egg and cheese folded in flour tortillas and grilled in my Express Grill....

« Last Edit: May 22, 2008, 05:45:19 AM by rondrond »

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"I'm not done yet"....Glen Campbell

"I may not be exactly where I want to be, but I sure as Hell am not where I was" Wynnona Judd

Diagnosed/HIV1993AZTNorvir1994-2001Crixivan/Epivir/ZeritNo Meds for 7 Years

dinner was ham, bacon, egg and cheese folded in flour tortillas and grilled in my Express Grill...........................................Can you say...High Cholesterol?I am going to get on your case about this cholesterol.Kurt fixed dinner last night:grilled lean chicken breastboiled corn on the cobsauteed green peas podsand we did use real butter on the corn but the rest was pretty low cholesterol

Although i was never given a letter, i was told this. I haven't been afraid of collectors for this reason, however, i remember when i first was diagnosed, i got calls, and they heard children playing in the yard (i was in a low income housing devel) and asked if i had kids...... they thought i was lying and avoiding them, all the guilt they could find was put upon me..... somehow, i got through that, it's never been as bad, but continues through self-guilt, undoubtedly brought on by the 'unassuming' assholes just doing their jobs! see, i too get frustrated! LOLhere's to continued ease of mind!bob mac

I used to have this great letter my caseworker at AID Atlanta provided me with back in the early 90's to send to creditors. It said something to the effect of "I have an AIDS diagnosis. SSDI is my only form of income, which cannot be garnished or attached in any way. I am judgement-proof." (or something along those lines) It worked well for me.